The Alberta Government is rolling out new programs to improve health care in rural and remote communities.
The government is launching the Rural Health Action Plan.
As part of the first steps under this action plan, the government is introducing a $16 million Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program, an $800,000 Medical First Responder Grant program, and a $600,000 Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant program.
“Investing in our rural health care workforce is essential for communities across the province. The introduction of the Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program is a vital step toward attracting and retaining skilled professionals in Alberta’s rural and remote areas,” said Martin Long, parliamentary secretary for rural health.
The bursary pilot program will provide up to $8 million annually over the next two years. Bursaries are either $125,000 or $200,000. They will be available to medical students in their final year of an ungraduated medical program at any medical university matched with a family medicine residency program at the University of Alberta or Calgary.
The bursaries will also be available to residents currently completing a family medicine residency at the University of Alberta or the University of Calgary, regardless of their year of study, including those graduating in June 2025.
Those who received the bursaries commit to delivering patient care in eligible communities for three years after completing their residency.
Applications for next year will open in December.
The provincial government is also implementing two grants to attract and retain paramedics in rural and remote communities.
The initiative includes an $800,000 Medical First Responder Agency Grant program to foster the establishment of new first responder agencies and a $600,000 Emergency Medical Responder Education Grant program.
Paul McLauchlin, president, of Rural Municipalities of Alberta says this is a big step towards a program that works for rural communities.
“The RMA is encouraged by the Government of Alberta’s efforts to apply a rural lens on how health care is funded, structured, and delivered. This plan is a significant step towards designing and implementing a system that works for rural communities across the province,” he said.
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